This invention relates to methods and apparatus for combustion and more particularly to a combustion technique and equipment including a burnpot system and a method of operating the burnpot system.
It is known to provide a combustion system for removing ash conveniently from the bottom of a burnpot and to provide air from the bottom of the burnpot or near the bottom. The prior art systems generally have: (1) top sections larger than their bottom sections so as to be generally funnel shaped; and (2) bottom working surfaces that are permanently mounted and either solid or with gratings that have small openings to remove some ash.
This type of burnpot has several disadvantages, such as for example: (1) in operation, they must be extinguished to clean and then be restarted or have the byproducts of combustion such as ash removed little by little with the burning coals remaining at substantially the same elevation; (2) they are limited to certain fuels that burn almost completely or must frequently be extinguished to remove large clinkers or coals; and (3) the removal and disposal of coals is a difficult operation.